Toothbrush



Filed May 5, 1927 mm "Lm. mm 4....nl (5 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. WEIS, O1 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TOOTKIBBUSH.

M present invention relates to a tooth brus and the object thereof is the provision of a tooth brush which is so constructed as to facilitate the proper brushing and cleaning of the teeth. The importance of the proper hygienic conditions in the mouth is more or less generally appreciated, and obviously this includes maintaining the teeth in a properly cleansed condition as well as the care of the gums. In tooth brushes as ordinarily constructed the relationship between the brush head and bristles and the handle is fixed making it more or less difficult to properly reach each tooth, such for example as the molars and wisdom teeth, in cleansing the same even when the mouthis open to such an extent as to stretch it unduly, and of course, necessitating the use of the brush in a position in which the handle assumes unnatural positions. In

with carrying out my invention I overcome this difiiculty by roviding a tooth brush in which a brush bac l t and bristles are mounted to swingat one end of the handle and preferably so secured therein as to be readily removable and also to limit the swinging movement of the brush head relatively to the handle whereby in use the brush head swings to various positions enabling the user to more readily apply the brush in cleaning the teeth and in such a manner that the teeth are adeql liately cleaned without undue exertions on t e art of the user.

T e tooth brush made in accordance with my present invention will be hereinafter more 1particularly described in con unction t e accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan of a tooth brush embod mg the invention.

ig. 2 is a side elevation thereoi.

Fig. 8 is a plan of one end of the brush handle, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a brush head.

By reference to the drawing it will be seen that in carrying out the invention the tooth brush made in accordance therewith includes a handle 10 which ma be made of any suitable material and pre erably curved as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. At one end the handle may be provided with an openingeor eye 11 by means of which the brush may supported or suspended from a hook or nail when not in use. At the op osite end the handle is bifurcated to providb oppositely disposed and suitably spaced arms 12 and 13. These arms are resiliently spreadable to an extent suflicient to admit a brush head as hereinafter described, and also to make it ossible to readily remove the brush head w en necessary to substitute another. That portion of the handle at the end thereof intermediate the arms 12 and 13 is preferably recessed as indicated at 14 in such a manner as to permit the arms any suitable manner the usual bristles 20 are a secured. In oppositely disposed positions in the brush head there are recesses or sockets 21 adapted to receive the trunnions 15, 16 and upon which the brush head is thus pivotaily mounted so as to swing between the arms 12 and 13. Also in oppositely disposed positions the brush head is provided with grooves 22 adapted to receive the stop pins 17 and 18. Each groove is made on an arc struck from the center of the corresponding socket 21, and as will be readily understood the stop pins coming against the ends of the grooves will determine the extent of the swinging movement of the brush head in the arms of the bifurcated head of the handle.

It will be obvious that the trunnions 15, 16 may be mounted in the head of the brush and the sockets therefor placed in the arms at the bifurcated end of the handle, and also that either one or both of the ins 17 and 18 may be likewise mounted in t e head of the brush and the slot or slots in which they engage formed in the inner faces of the arms at the bifurcated-end of the handle, or the trunnions may be employed as illustrated, and the stop pins as suggested, or these parts may be employed in a vice versa manner without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

As will now be apparent the brush head will swing in the use of the tooth brush so as to readily adjust itself to the proper position for adequately cleaning the teeth properly particularly the more inaccessible teeth with out any excessive or undue manipulation of the handle. It will also be obvious that the brush head may be renewed when necessary, thereby reducing the expense of tooth brushes for the proper cleaning of the teeth, and also as will be understood, one of the stop pins only is necessary, bein obviously sufiicient to rform the desired unction, two stop pins ein shown merely to balance the structure.

I fiaim as In invention: 1. A tooth rush including a bifurcated handle, a brush head pivotally mounted therein, and means to limit the relative pivmeans for limiting the relative pivotal movement between the handle and brush head comprising a pin on one art and an arcuate groove formed in the ad acent face of another part for receiving the pin and limitin the movement of the brush head relative y to the handle. I

3. A tooth brush including a handle having a bifurcated end, a brush head pivotally mounted on the bifurcated end of the handle, and a pin projecting from the inner face of one of the bifurcated portions of the handle,

there being an arcuate groove in the adjacent face of the brush head for receiving the said pin in order to limit the swinging movement of the head-relatively to the handle.

Signed by me this 25th day of April, 1927.

JOHN A. WEIS. Y 

